What should you do before changing lanes to ensure safety?

Before changing lanes, it's crucial to check mirrors and blind spots to ensure safety. This step is vital because it helps the driver assess the surrounding traffic and identify vehicles that may be in the adjacent lane or in a blind spot that might not be visible in the mirrors. By doing this, the driver can make an informed decision about whether it is safe to proceed with the lane change.

Checking mirrors provides a clear view of what is happening behind the vehicle, while looking into blind spots allows for the detection of vehicles that may not be captured by the mirrors, such as those that are directly alongside or slightly behind the driver’s field of view. This practice significantly reduces the risk of collisions and enhances overall driving safety when changing lanes.

Other practices, such as honking the horn, speeding up, or making sudden turns, do not effectively ensure safety and may, in fact, increase the risk of accidents.